The present invention relates to a novel hyaluronan receptor protein involved in cell locomotion or motility and in cell proliferation and transformation and to DNA sequences encoding this protein. The protein is designated Receptor for Hyaluronic Acid Mediated Motility or RHAMM.
In the description which follows, references are made to certain literature citations which are listed at the end of the specification.
Hyaluronan or hyaluronic acid (xe2x80x9cHAxe2x80x9d) is a large glycosaminoglycan that is ubiquitous in the extracellular matrix and whose synthesis has been linked to cell migration, growth and transformation (Turley 1984; Toole et al, 1984; Iozzo 1985; Boudreaux et al., 1991). This glycosaminoglycan interacts with cell surfaces via specific protein receptors that mediate many of its biological effects (Turley 1992). Three distinct hyaluronan receptors, CD44 (Dalchau et al., 1980; Aruffo et al., 1990; Stamankovic et al. 1991), RHAMM II (Hardwick et al., 1992; Yang et al., 1993), and HARLEC (Forsberg and Gustafson 1991; Rampyari et al., 1988) have been previously isolated and characterized. These receptors regulate cell locomotion and have been implicated in malignant transformation.